18 Feb 2023

Meet the Organizer: Joanne Gryniewicz

Let’s meet Joanne Gryniewicz, one of the talented and hard working professional organizers at Organizing Boston.

How long have you been a professional organizer?
While I am new to the business, I have been implementing organizational systems and techniques with friends, family, and co-workers throughout my entire life. 

Why did you want to rofessional organizer?
Being a mom can be challenging and having a child with special needs taught me how crucial it is to be in the moment with family surrounded by joy in the form of a well organized space. I think that is part of why I was attracted to Marie Kondo and her book “Art of Tidying Up”, and I wanted to give that feeling to other moms who want fulfilling, clutter free lives, but just need some help and encouragement while getting there. So I became a Konmari Consultant and my training helps to bring joy and sense of peace to my clients homes.

What is your favorite part about being a rofessional organizer?
Seeing the end result! Especially when children are involved. It is deeply fulfilling to be able to assess the task at hand and reinvent the purpose of a space – ultimately creating an exciting visual aesthetic and bringing peace and fluidity to a client’s home. 

What is your favorite thing to organize?
My favorite rooms to organize are the bedrooms. I love to create a space just for the client and their family that reflects a part of them not seen anywhere else in the home: a space that sparks joy every time they enter. This love evolved from the first day of our family vacations where I would unpack and set up the hotel room as a haven after long days touring and exploring.

Tell us about your family. (Kids? Ages? Pets?)
My husband Jack and I met working at the same software start up company. We have two girls Zoe 14 and Ava is 12. Ava is nonverbal and communicates using an eye gaze device. She has a sassy personality and her friends and teachers just love her. My daughter Zoe is going into High School next year, Yikes!, and is the apple of her grandfather’s eye. We are all huge New England sports fanatics, so Football season is all-in around here, especially for our daughter, Ava — Tom Brady is her boy. Ginger, our rescue dog, is my shadow, and the sun shines on my head 24/7 because my shadow seems to always be directly under my feet. She is super patient with the girls who dress her up as Disney characters.

What do you like to do in your free time? (Hobbies, spots, volunteer work, etc.)
When I am not spending quality time with friends and family, I also enjoy making elaborate paper flower arrangements for them. I also volunteer at the school library helping to organize all the books and materials. I can’t help but organize in my spare time, plus I love talking to the kids about the books they are reading.

Share one of your favorite organizing tips.
I always tell my clients to be sure to clear the visual to-do-lists that you pass by every day. They constantly distract your brain and give you negative feelings which don’t spark joy. If they can’t be done in a few minutes, create a space that is not in your eye-line and keep a list of what’s there for when you’re ready to tackle.